Local councils made up of publicly elected members used to hold extensive powers over property development approvals.
But in recent years, the two major parties’ state governments have stripped much of this power from them and concentrated it in the hands of (unelected) ‘planning panels’.
The latest example comes from the amalgamated Central Coast Council in NSW.
The coronavirus crisis has helped us to understand the power and influence of the property industry. Consider the following media reports from this week.